1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing method including a process for detecting the orientation flat or notch of a substrate and aligning it to a specified position, ad to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus equipped with a substrate alignment apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An 8-inch cassette that carries wafers generally has an open construction (with a lid-less open cassette, the bottom part is also open), so the notch alignment of the wafers can be performed from the opening in the bottom of the cassette by standing the cassette upright so that the wafers are vertical, However, a wafer carrier called a FOUP (Front Opeaing Unified Pod), which is a 12-inch cassette, has a closed construction, so notch alignment always requires the wafers to be taken out of the FOUP. Because the wafers inside the FOUP are ordinarily in a horizontal state, to align the notches in a vertical state, the FOUP has to be stood up vertically or rotated 90xc2x0. Changing the attitude of the FOUP by standing it up vertically or rotating it 90xc2x0 is extremely troublesome, which is partially due to the large size of the carrier. Also, when 25 12-inch wafers are carried, the FOUP becomes quite heavy, making it difficult to rotate it by 90xc2x0. In view of this, a method in which the wafers are taken out of the FOUP while it is still horizontal and the notches of the wafers are aligned in a horizontal state is considered easier than when this is done vertically.
An example of a mechanism proposed in the past for positioning wafers in a horizontal state is Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application H6-13450. With this mechanism, the wafer is placed on an eccentricity correction jig having a conical sloped surface, the eccentricity of the wafer is corrected, the eccentricity correction jig is lowered, the water is moved from the eccentricity correction jig to a rotating stage and secured thereto by suction, the eccentricity correction jig is then further lowered and retracted, the wafer is rotated on the rotating stage in this state, and the notch on the wafer is detected by an optical sensor, allowing proper alignment to be achieved. After this alignment, the wafer is collected by the reverse operation. As a result, the eccentricity of the wafer is corrected all at once, and the wafer is positioned more accurately.
With the above alignment mechanism, however, because the back of the wafer is supported by vacuum auction during the detection of notch position, the generation of particles is inevitable, the problem with which is that these particles oling to the back of the substrate.
Also, the above alignment mechanism is only intended for a single water, and while it is effective in terms of achieving good alignment accuracy one wafer at a time and making the mechanism simpler, because only one wafer can be detected, alignment is slow when a plurality of wafers are positioned one at a time, creating a bottleneck in the process and resulting in poor throughput for the apparatus as a whole.
It is possible to provide a plurality of the above-mentioned alignment mechanisms in series in order to position a plurality of wafers all at once, but this results in a bulky mechanism. Furthermore, if an attempt is made to position a plurality of substrates all at once, this requires a complicated operation in which the angular position of previously positioned substrates is left alone while subsequent substrates are being positioned among various other problems that are encountered and solving these problems is extremely complicated in terms of both the process and the mechanism.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the problem associated with prior art where particles inevitably clung to the back side of the substrate because this side was supported, and to provide a semiconductor manufacturing method and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with which it is possible to prevent particles from clinging to the back of the substrate during substrate alignment.
It is another object of the present invention to solve the problem associated with prior art whereby substrates could only be positioned one at a time, and to provide a semiconductor manufacturing method and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with which it is possible to position a plurality of substrates all at once.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor manufacturing method and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with which throughput can be enhanced by performing substrate alignment during the idle time of the substrate transfer unit that transfers the substrates to a processing chamber or processing jig.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor manufacturing method and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with which it is possible to solve with ease the trouble encountered when a plurality of substrates are positioned simultaneously.
The invention of claim 1 is a semiconductor manufacturing method including a step of detecting the position of the orientation flat or notch of a substrate and aligning to a specific position, wherein a substrate transfer unit that transfers substrates to a processing chamber or processing jig is used for the orientation flat or notch alignment of the substrates.
When a substrate transfer unit that transfers substrates to a processing chamber or processing jig is used for the orientation flat or notch alignment, it is easier to place and remove the substrates with respect to the substrate alignment apparatus that performs the orientation flat or notch alignment. Also, since there is no need for a separate transfer unit to be readied, the apparatus is more compact and lower in cost.
The invention of claim 2 is the semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the orientation flat or notch alignment of the substrates is performed in a transfer chamber in which the substrate transfer unit is installed.
Because the orientation flat or notch alignment is performed in a transfer chamber, the substrate transfer unit can be utilized more efficiently. Also, because the substrate alignment apparatus is installed in the empty space of the substrate transfer chamber, there is no need for a separate chamber or the like in which the substrate alignment apparatus is installed to be readied, which allows the apparatus to be more compact and lower in cost.
The invention of claim 3 is a semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the substrates are removed from a substrate carrier by the substrate transfer unit and put into a substrate alignment apparatus that performs the orientation flat or notch alignment of the substrates, and the substrates are taken out of the substrate alignment apparatus by the substrata transfer unit after the orientation flat or notch alignment of the substrates and transferred to the processing chamber or processing jig.
When a substrate transfer unit that transfers the substrates to a processing chamber or processing jig is used it is easier to place and remove the substrates with respect to the substrate alignment apparatus that performs the orientation flat or notch alignment. Also, since there is no need for a separate transfer unit to be readied, the apparatus is more compact and lower in cost.
The invention of claim 4 is the semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the orientation flat or notch alignment of the substrates is performed ahead of time by exchanging substrate carriers and repeating the following steps (a) to (d): (a) the substrates are removed from the substrate carrier by the substrate transfer unit and put into a substrate alignment apparatus that performs the orientation flat or notch alignment of the substrates, and orientation flat or notch alignment of the substrates is performed, (b) the substrates that have undergone orientation flat or notch alignment are taken out of the substrate alignment apparatus and returned to the substrate carrier by the substrate transfer unit, (c) repeating the above steps (a) and (b) until the orientation flat or notch alignment is finished for all of the substrates in the substrate carrier, and (4) the substrate carrier for which the orientation flat or notch alignment of the substrates has been finished is stored on a storage shelf.
If the orientation flat or notch alignment of substrates to be processed in the processing chamber the next and subsequent times is performed as much as possible during the idle time of the substrate transfer unit that transfers the substrates to the processing chamber or processing jig, such as while a substrate is being processed in the processing chamber, then substrates that have already undergone orientation flat or notch alignment can be transferred to the processing chamber directly from the substrate carrier, without having to undergo orientation flat or notch alignment again, so the substrates can be transferred more quickly and throughput is enhanced.
The invention of Claim 5 is the semiconductor manufacturing method according to Claim 4, including a step in which, if the orientation flat or notch alignment of the substrates in the substrate carrier has been performed ahead of time, this information is stored, a decision as to whether the substrates to be transferred have already undergone orientation flat or notch alignment is made on the basis of this information, and if the substrates to be transferred have already undergone orientation flat or notch alignment, then the substrates are taken out of the substrate carrier by the substrate transfer unit and transferred directly to the processing chamber or processing jig without first going through the substrate alignment apparatus.
If the orientation flat or notch alignment of a substrate to be processed has been performed ahead of time, then a transfer path is automatically selected such that a substrate is transferred from the substrate carrier directly to the processing chamber or processing jig, without going through the substrate alignment apparatus, but if the orientation flat or notch alignment of a substrate to be processed has not been performed ahead of time, then a transfer path is automatically selected such that the substrate is transferred from the substrate carrier to the substrate alignment apparatus, and is only transferred to the processing chamber or processing Jig after orientation flat or notch alignment, so there is no need for the user to be aware of whether the substrate has already undergone orientation flat or notch alignment (that is, no need to go to the trouble of checking whether the substrate has already undergone orientation flat or notch alignment and selecting the transfer path).
The invention of claim 6 is a semiconductor manufacturing method including a step of detecting the position of the orientation flat or notch of a substrate and aligning to a specific position, wherein the orientation flat or notch alignment of each substrate is performed by placing the substrate horizontally and rotating it while the outer periphery of the substrate is supported by a substrate support component.
Because the outer periphery of the substrate, rather than its back, is supported during the orientation flat or notch alignment, no particles cling to the back side of the substrate. Also, because the orientation flat or notch alignment can be performed horizontally, there is no need for the complicated operation of changing the attitude of the substrate when the substrate is transferred horizontally, and this facilitates orientation flat or notch alignment. This is particularly advantageous if the substrate has at large diameter, because changing its attitude would be more difficult.
The invention of claim 7 is the semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 6, including a step in which the substrate is temporarily retracted from the substrate support component, and the relative positions of the substrate and the substrate support component in the peripheral direction are shifted, after which the retracted substrate is once again supported by the substrate support component.
More specifically, when orientation flat or notch alignment is performed for each substrate by rotating the substrate support component around the substrate center in a state in which the outer periphery of one or a plurality of substrates is horizontally supported by the substrate support component, it is preferable if each substrate is temporarily retracted from the substrate support component by the substrate retraction mechanism, the substrate support component is rotated around the substrate center during this retraction and the relative position of the substrate support component is shifted with respect to the peripheral direction of the substrate, and each retraced substrate is returned to and once again supported by the substrate support component.
Problems with the relative positions of the substrate and the substrate support components sometimes occurs such as in the course of aligning the orientation flats or notches of the substrates, or after orientation flat or notch alignment. When this happens, the substrates are temporarily retracted from the various substrate support components supporting each substrate, and during this retraction, the substrate support components are shifted in the peripheral direction of the substrates so as to shift the relative positions of the substrate support component with respect to the substrates. Problems with the positional relationship between the substrate and the substrate support component can be solved by moving the substrate support component while the substrate is retracted, so as to shift the position of the substrate support component with respect to the substrate
The substrate retraction mechanism that retracts the substrate from the substrate support component may be, for example, a substrate pick-up mechanism provided such that it can be raised and lowered and comprising three pick-up poles having pick-up support pins for picking up and supporting one or a plurality of substrates, and this mechanism way be used to raise the substrate such that there is no interference with the substrate support component. During retraction, the angular position in the peripheral direction of the substrate is maintained with the substrate in the picked-up state, and after retraction, the substrate is directly lowered and transferred from the substrate retraction mechanism to the substrate support component.
The invention or claim 8 is the semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 7, wherein, in the shifting of the relative positions of the substrate and the substrate support component in the peripheral direction, the position of the substrate support component is corrected so that the orientation flat or notch of the substrate will not overlap with the substrate support component, and so that the substrate support component will not block the forward path of the substrate transfer unit as the substrate is taken out of the substrate support component by the substrate transfer unit.
More specifically, in a semiconductor manufacturing method including a step of aligning a substrate, the substrate is temporarily picked up and retracted from the substrate support component without moving the substrate from its position in the peripheral direction, and during this retraction the substrate support component is rotated around the substrate center and the position of the substrate support component is corrected so that the substrate support component will not overlap with the orientation flat or notch, or so that the substrate support component will not block the forward path of the substrate transfer unit as the substrate is removed from the substrate support component by the substrate transfer unit after substrate alignment.
If the orientation flat or notch of a substrate overlaps with the substrate support component that supports the substrate prior to substrate alignment (orientation flat or notch alignment), the forward path of the substrate transfer unit may be blocked by the substrate support component as the substrate is being removed by the substrate transfer unit after substrate alignment. In such a case, the substrate is temporarily picked up and retracted from the substrate support component without moving the angular position of the substrate in the peripheral direction. In the case of an operation for eliminating the overlap between the orientation flat or notch and the substrate support component, the angular position of the substrate in the peripheral direction is maintained during the retraction of a substrate prior to notch alignment as well. During retraction, the substrate support component is rotated around the substrate center and the position of the substrate support component is corrected so that the substrate support component will not overlap with the orientation flat or notch, or so that the substrate support component will not block the forward path of the substrate transfer unit (the latter case is called return to point of origin). The problems mentioned above can be solved by performing this return to point of origin.
The invention of claim 9 is the semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 8, wherein, if there is overlap between the substrate support component and the orientation flat or notch of the substrate while the substrate outer periphery is supported by the substrate support component, the substrate is temporarily retracted from said substrate support component and the relative positions of the substrate and the substrate support component in the peripheral direction are shifted, after which the substrate is once again supported by the substrate support component, thereby avoiding the overlap.
More specifically, in a semiconductor manufacturing method including a step of performing orientation flat or notch alignment for each substrate by rotating the substrate support component around the substrate center in a state in which one or a plurality of substrates have been placed horizontally by supporting the outer periphery of the substrates with the substrate support component, when the substrate outer periphery is supported by the substrate support component, and when the orientation flat or notch formed on the substrate outer periphery overlaps with the substrate support component so that the orientation flat or notch cannot be detected, the substrates are temporarily picked up and retracted from the substrate support component by the pick-up mechanism, during which time the substrate support component is rotated a specific amount, after which the retracted substrates are returned to the substrate support component, thereby avoiding the above-mentioned interference between the orientation flat or notch and the substrate support component.
When a substrate is placed on the substrate support component, the orientation flat or notch of the substrate may land on the substrate support component because the orientation flat or notch position of the substrate cannot be specified. It the orientation flat or notch lands on the substrate support component, the substrate support component may get in the way of the detection sensor and prevent the orientation flat or notch from being detected. In view of this, to avoid overlap between the substrate support component and the orientation flat or notch, the substrate is first picked up and retracted by the pick-up mechanism, and the substrate support component is rotated a specific amount during this retraction, thereby shifting the substrate support component with respect to the substrate and eliminating the above-mentioned overlap.
Because the substrate support component is thus shifted with respect to the substrate while the substrate is being picked up and retracted, thereby eliminating overlaps between the substrate support component and the orientation flat or notch, the problem of being unable to detect the orientation flat or notch can be eliminated.
The invention of claim 10 is the semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 8, wherein the substrata is temporarily retracted from said substrate support component after the orientation flat or notch alignment of the substrate, and the substrate support component is set in a tolerance position that doesn""t block the forward path of the substrate transfer unit, after which the substrate is once again supported by the substrate support component.
More specifically, in a semiconductor manufacturing method including a step of removing the substrates from the substrate alignment apparatus after one or a plurality of substrates have been put into the substrate alignment apparatus by the substrate transfer unit and the substrates have been positioned, the substrate support component that is provided to the substrate alignment apparatus and supports the outer periphery of the substrates is set in a tolerance position that doesn""t block the forward path of the substrate transfer unit, the outer periphery of the substrates that are put into the substrate alignment apparatus is supported by the substrate support component of the substrate alignment apparatus, and the substrates supported by the substrate support component are rotated along with the substrate support component so that the orientation flats or notches of the substrates can be detected.
It is preferable if the substrates are positioned on the basis of the detection results, and the positioned substrates are picked up and temporarily retracted from the substrate support component by a substrate pick-up mechanism provided to the substrate alignment apparatus in a state in which the position of the positioned substrates is maintained, during which time the substrate support component is rotated in order to avoid interference between the substrate transfer unit and the substrate support component, which resets the substrate support component to a tolerance position that doesn""t block the forward path of the substrate transfer unit (return to point of origin), and the retracted substrates are returned to the substrate support component after this resetting.
After the substrate support component has been rotated and the orientation flat or notch alignment of the substrate performed, the substrate support component may come to the substrate placement position of the substrate alignment apparatus, where the forward motion of the substrate transfer unit would be impeded. If the substrate support component comes to this placement position, the substrate transfer unit will interfere with the substrate support component and the substrate cannot be removed. In view of this, in order to avoid the interference between the substrate transfer unit and the substrate support component, all of the substrates are first picked up and retracted by the pick-up mechanism while this positioned state is maintained, and the substrate support component is rotated by a specific amount during this retraction, which resets the substrate support component to its original position and eliminates the above-mentioned interference.
While the substrates are being picked up and retracted, the substrate support component that had been shifted in the orientation flat or notch alignment process is reset to its original position, so the problem of being unable to remove the substrate after orientation flat or notch alignment is avoided.
The invention of claim 11 is a semiconductor manufacturing method including a step of detecting the position of the orientation flat or notch of a substrate and aligning to a specific position, wherein, in the orientation flat or notch alignment of a plurality of substrates, the plurality of substrates are stacked and supported by a substrate support mechanism and rotated all together by the required angle, the orientation flats or notches of all of the substrates are detected by a detection sensor, and the detection information is stored, the substrate support mechanism is rotated on the basis of the detection information, orientation flat or notch alignment is performed for one substrate at a time, each substrate that has undergone orientation flat or notch alignment to retracted from the substrate support mechanism one by one while the position of each substrate in the peripheral direction is maintained, and after the orientation flat or notch alignment and the retraction are finished for all of the substrates, the retracted substrates are returned to the substrate support mechanism.
Here, the detection information is positional information about the angle of shift from the reference angle position when the orientation flat or notch has been detected. If the orientation flats or notches of all the substrates are detected and this detection information is stored in the process of a plurality of substrates being rotated all at once and passed through the detection sensor, then even if the substrates are further rotated subsequently, the orientation flat or notch position can be accurately remembered as long as the detection information is corrected according to the amount of rotation.
The reason that the detection information needs to be corrected here is as follows. For example, when there is overlap between the substrate support component and the orientation flat or notch of the substrates, all the substrates are temporarily retracted and the substrate support component is rotated by a specific amount in order to eliminate this overlap, but in this case even those substrates that have already had their orientation flat or notch positions detected are rotated by this specific amount. Correction of the detection information is therefore necessary.
Orientation flat or notch alignment is performed for one substrate at a time, and the substrates are retracted from the substrate support mechanism while the position of the substrate in the peripheral direction is maintained, and after the orientation flat or notch alignment is complete for all the substrates, the retracted substrates are returned to the substrate support mechanism, so even if the substrate support position of the substrate support mechanism is changed, there will be no deviation in the aligned orientation flat or notch positions, and the proper orientation flat or notch alignment will still be possible.
The invention of claim 12 is the semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 11, including a step of rotating the plurality of substrates all at once by a specified angle when the orientation flat or notch position of the plurality of substrates cannot be detected because the orientation flat or notch position is too far away from the place where the detection sensor is installed, and the orientation flat or notch position is brought closer to the place where the detection sensor is installed, where the orientation flat or notch positions can be detected, through this rotation by the required angle.
When the above-mentioned required angle is different from the specified angle, and the substrates are rotated all at once by the specified angle, it is only possible to detect the orientation flat or notch position by first rotating the substrates by the specified angle and then rotating them by the required angle. If the orientation flat or notch position is far away from the place where the detection sensor is installed, detection of the orientation flat or notch position can be facilitated by rotating the substrates by the specified angle all at once so that the orientation flat or notch position moves closer to the place where the position detection sensor is installed.
No position detection sensor is placed on the side of the substrate alignment apparatus where the substrates enter because it would obstruct the forward motion of the substrate transfer unit. Therefore, if the orientation flat or notch position is on the entry side, the orientation flat or notch position ends up being far away from the place where the sensor is installed. Accordingly, the substrates must be rotated so that the orientation flat or notch position is brought closer to the place where the sensor is installed. A similar operation is sometimes necessary even when the orientation flat or notch is not on the substrate entry side of the substrate alignment apparatus.
The invention of claim 13 is the semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 11, wherein, when the orientation flats or notches of the substrates cannot be detected even when the substrate support mechanism is rotated by the required angle, the following steps (a) to (d) are performed so as to allow orientation flat or notch detection: (a) the substrates are retracted from the substrate support mechanism, (b) the substrate support mechanism is rotated by a specified angle, (c) the substrates are returned to the substrate support mechanism, and (d) the substrate support mechanism is rotated by the required angle and the orientation flat or notch position is detected.
More specifically, the following steps (a) to (d) are carried out when the orientation flats or notches of the substrates cannot be detected by the position detection sensor in a non-contact detection process. Once these steps have been carried out, the orientation flats or notches will go from an undetectable region to a detectable region, and the notches can be detected.
(a) The substrates are all retracted from the substrate support mechanism,
(b) the substrate support mechanism is rotated by a specific amount in order to shift the relative positions of the substrates and the substrate support mechanism in the peripheral direction,
(c) the retracted substrates are returned to the substrate support mechanism that has been rotated by the above-mentioned specific amount, and
(d) the substrates are rotated by the required amount and the positions of the orientation flats or notches of the substrates that have been returned to the substrate support mechanism are detected by the sensor.
When the orientation flat or notch positions of the substrates cannot be detected, it is preferable if the alignment of a plurality of substrates is carried out one substrate at a time by rotating the plurality of substrates all at once on the basis of the detection information, and every time alignment is completed, the substrate whose alignment is finished is retracted from the substrate support mechanism in order to preserve the alignment result, and once the alignment of all the substrates is complete, the retracted substrates are returned and supported by the substrate support mechanism.
The above-mentioned required angle is different from the specified angle, with the relationship being (required angle) greater than (specified angle). Even if the orientation flat or notch positions cannot be detected when the substrate support mechanism is rotated by the required angle, they will be detected if the peripheral direction position of the substrates is shifted by the specified angle with respect to the substrate support mechanism, and the detection of the orientation flat or notch positions is thus possible.
The invention of claim 14 is the semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 11, wherein, in the alignment of the orientation flats or notches of the substrates to a specific position after completion of the orientation flat or notch position detection operation for all of the substrates, if the orientation flat or notch of the substrate cannot be aligned to the specific position with a single rotation because the orientation flat or notch position is too far away from the specific position, the following steps are repeatedly performed until the orientation flat or notch of the substrate is aligned with the specified position.
(a) The substrate support mechanism is rotated the required amount in the direction that is the shortest path from the orientation flat or notch position to the specified position.
(b) the substrates are retracted from the substrate support mechanism.
(c) the substrate support mechanism is rotated the required amount in the opposite direction from that in (a), and
(d) the substrates are returned to the substrate support mechanism.
If, after the orientation flat or notch positions have been detected for all the substrates, the orientation flat or notch positions are far away from the specified position in the alignment of the orientation flat or notch position to the specified position, then it may be impossible to align the orientation flats or notches to the specified position with a single rotation due to the limited range of motion of which the apparatus is capable. In a case such as this, the orientation flat or notch position can be moved to the specified position by repeating the above steps (a) to (d) and shifting the position a little at a time. The shortest path from the notch position to the specified position is selected from the stored detection information.
The invention of claim 15 in the semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 8, wherein orientation flat or notch alignment is performed all at once for a plurality of substrates.
Because orientation flat or notch alignment is performed all at once for a plurality of substrates, there is a marked increase in throughput.
The invention of claim 16 is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus equipped with a substrate alignment apparatus that performs orientation flat or notch alignment for one or a plurality of substrates supported horizontally, wherein the substrate alignment apparatus comprises a substrate support mechanism that has a substrate support component which supports the outer periphery of the substrate and that rotates the substrate support component around the substrate center to as to rotate the substrate, and a detection sensor that detects in non-contact fashion the orientation flat or notch of the substrate supported and rotated by the substrate support mechanism.
Because the substrates are supported around their outer periphery rather than on their back side, the particles that are produced in the course of substrate support do not cling to the back side. There is no friction between the detection sensor and the substrate when the orientation flat or notch is detected in non-contact fashion by the detection sensor. Therefore, with the present invention, the clinging of particles to the back of the substrate can be effectively prevented because the orientation flat or notch is detected without contact with the substrate, and the outer periphery of the substrate is supported.
The invention of claim 17 is the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a supporting tapered portion is provided to the support component, and the outer periphery of the substrate is supported by this supporting tapered portion.
Because the substrate is supported in linear or point contact by the supporting tapered portion, less frictional force is produced than when a substrate is supported in surface contact, and there is also a reduction in the particle generation that accompanies orientation flat or notch alignment, so the clinging of particles to the back of the substrate can be effectively prevented.
The invention of claim 18 is the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the substrate support component further has a tapered portion for correcting substrate eccentricity.
When the substrate is supported by a supporting tapered portion via a tapered portion for correcting substrate eccentricity, because the substrate is in a horizontal state the substrate is automatically centered by its own weight in the course of the orientation flat or notch alignment.
The invention of claim 19 is the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to any of claim 16, having a substrate retraction mechanism for retracting the substrate from the substrate support component of the substrate support mechanism.
More specifically, in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus equipped with a substrate alignment apparatus that performs orientation flat or notch alignment for one or a plurality of substrates supported horizontally, it is preferable for the substrate alignment apparatus to have a substrate support mechanism that has a substrate support component having a tapered portion and supporting the outer periphery of the substrate with this tapered portion, with this substrate support component provided rotatably around the substrate center, and that rotates the substrate supported by this substrate support component, a detection sensor that detects in non-contact fashion an orientation flat or notch formed at the outer periphery of the substrate supported and rotated by the substrate support mechanism, and a substrate retraction mechanism that has a substrate support component for supporting the outer periphery of the substrate, with which this substrate support component is supported at the substrate outer periphery and one or a plurality of the substrate are temporarily retracted from the substrate support component of the substrate support mechanism.
Because this substrate retraction mechanism allows the substrate to be temporarily retracted from the substrate support component, it solves the problem encountered with the positional relationship between the substrate support component and the substrate.
The invention of claim 20 is the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 19, comprising a control component for controlling the substrate support mechanism and the substrate retraction mechanism as in the following (a) to (c): (a) the rotation of the substrate support mechanism is controlled such that the orientation flats or notches of a plurality of substrates are detected and the orientation flats or notches of the substrates are aligned one by one, (b) the substrate retraction mechanism is controlled such that the substrates that have undergone orientation flat or notch alignment are successively retracted from the substrate support mechanism one by one, and (c) the substrate retraction mechanism is controlled such that the plurality of retracted substrate are returned to the substrate support mechanism after completion of the orientation flat or notch alignment of all the substrates.
More specifically, in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus equipped with a substrate alignment apparatus that performs orientation flat or notch alignment for a plurality of substrates supported horizontally, the substrate alignment apparatus is equipped with a substrate support mechanism that supports a plurality of substrates in a horizontally stacked state and rotates them all at once, a sensor that detects in non-contact fashion the orientation flats or notches of the various substrates rotated all together by the substrate support mechanism, a substrate retraction mechanism that temporarily retracts the substrates from the substrate support mechanism, and a control component that controls the substrate support mechanism and the substrate retraction mechanism.
It is preferable for this control component to:
(a) control the rotation of the substrate support mechanism is controlled in order to rotate a plurality of substrates all at once and detect the orientation flats or notches of the various substrates, and to align the various substrates one by one on the basis of the detection value for the orientation flat or notch of each substrate, and output individual alignment completion signals when the alignment of the various substrates is complete;
(b) control the substrate retraction mechanism in order for the substrates that have been aligned to be successively retracted from the substrate support mechanism one by one on the basis of the individual alignment completion signals, and
(c) control tile substrate retraction mechanism in order for the plurality of retracted substrate to be returned to the substrate support mechanism on the basis of all the alignment completion signals.
Controlling the substrate support mechanism and substrate retraction mechanism with the control component as above allows orientation flat or notch alignment of a plurality of substrates to be performed smoothly with a single rotary drive component.
The invention of claim 21 is the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the substrate support mechanism comprises a turntable, a plurality of support poles erected on the turntable, a substrate support component that is provided to each support pole and supports the outer periphery of each of a plurality of substrates, and a single rotary drive component that rotates the turntable.
More specifically, it is preferable for the substrate support mechanism to comprise a turntable, a plurality of support poles that are erected on the turntable and support a plurality of substrates, a plurality of substrate support components that are provided at a specific pitch in the axial direction of the various support poles, have tapered portions protruding in the inward radial direction of the turntable, and support the outer periphery of the substrates with these tapered portions, and a single rotary drive component that rotates the turntable on which the support poles are erected, and rotates all at once the plurality of substrates stacked and supported on the plurality of substrate support components.
Because only one turntable and one rotary drive component for rotating it are needed, the construction can be simpler. It is preferable for the substrate support components supporting the substrates to be constituted by three support pins having tapered portions that support the substrate outer periphery, but do not have to be pins as long as the contact surface area is small.
The invention of claim 22 is the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the substrate retraction mechanism comprises a base provided such that it can be raised or lowered, a lifting drive component for raising or lowering the base, a plurality of pick-up poles that are erected on the base and pick up a plurality of substrates one at a time from the substrate support component as the base is raised and lowered, and a substrate support component that is provided to each of the pick-up poles and supports the outer periphery of the substrate.
More specifically, it is preferable if the substrate retraction mechanism comprises a base provided such that it can be raised or lowered, a lifting drive component for raising or lowering the base, a plurality of pick-up poles that are erected on the base so as not to interfere with the plurality of support poles and that temporarily pick up a plurality of substrates one at a time from the support poles as the base is raised and lowered, and a plurality of substrate support components that are provided to the various pick-up poles at a specific pitch in the axial direction in order to pick up the plurality of substrates successively, starting with the lowest one, and that have substrate support components that protrude in the inward radial direction of the base and support the outer periphery of the substrates, pick up the substrates from the substrate support components of the substrate support mechanism when the substrate outer periphery is supported as the base is raised, and return the picked-up substrates as the base is lowered.
The substrates can be retracted from the substrate support mechanism with the position of the substrates in the peripheral direction maintained, with a simple construction in which substrate support components are merely attached to pick-up polar.
The invention of claim 23 is the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the substrate support component has a turntable, a plurality of support poles erected on the turntable, a substrate support component that is provided to each support pole and supports the outer periphery of each of a plurality of substrates, and a single rotary drive component that rotates the turntable, wherein the pitch P1 of the substrate support components provided to the pick-up poles and the pitch P2 of the substrate support components of the support poles satisfy the relationship P1 less than P2.
If the pitch P1 of the substrate support components and the pitch P2 of the substrate support components satisfy the relationship P1 less than P2, then the plurality of substrates supported by the substrate support components provided to the support poles can be successively picked up, starting from the lowest one, by the substrate support components provided to the pick-up poles.
The invention of claim 24 is the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 23, wherein when n number of substrates are successively picked up one at a time by the pick-up poles, the pitch P1 of the substrate support components provided to the pick-up poles and the pitch P2 of the substrate support components of the support poles satisfy the relationship (nxe2x88x921)P1 greater than (nxe2x88x922)P2.
If the above relationship is satisfied, then the plurality of substrates supported by the substrate support components provided to the support poles can be successively picked up, starting from the lowest one, by the substrate support components provided to the pick-up poles. Also, when the support poles are rotated in a state in which the substrates have been picked up by the pick-up poles, there will be no interference between the substrates and the substrate support components provided to the support poles or the substrate support components provided to the pick-up poles.
The invention of claim 25 is the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the detection sensor is constituted such that it moves forward in the inward radial direction of the substrate when detecting the orientation flat or notch, and moves backward in the outward radial direction of the substrate when not detecting.
More specifically, it is preferable if the sensor is constituted such that It is provided so that it can move forward in the radial direction of the stacked and supported substrates, moves forward in the inward radial direction of the substrates and detects the orientation flats or notches of the substrates during the detection of the orientation flats or notches formed on the outer periphery of the substrates, and retracts in the outward radial direction of the substrates When not detecting, so that interference with the substrate support components is avoided.
The detection sensor moves forward in the inward radial direction of the substrate and detects the orientation flats or notches of the substrates during the detection of the orientation flats or notches formed on the outer periphery of the substrates, and retracts in the outward radial direction of the substrates when not detecting, so that interference with the substrate support components is avoided.
The invention of claim 26 is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus equipped with an orientation flat or notch alignment apparatus that performs orientation flat or notch alignment for a plurality of substrates supported horizontally, wherein the substrate alignment apparatus comprises a plurality of turntables provided in a stacked state and sharing a common center of rotation, on each of which is placed one substrate, a plurality of substrate support components provided to the various turntables for supporting the outer periphery of the various substrates, a plurality of rotary drive components for independently rotating each of the plurality of turntables, and a detection sensor for detecting the orientation flats or notches in non-contact fashion.
Because there are a plurality of turntables on each of which is placed a single substrate, alignment can be carried out individually, facilitating control.
The invention of claim 27 is the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 26, further comprising a substrate retraction mechanism for retracting the substrates from the substrate support components.
More specifically, in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus equipped with a substrate alignment apparatus that performs the alignment of a plurality of horizontally supported substrates, the substrate alignment apparatus comprises a plurality of turntables provided in a stacked state and sharing a common center of rotation, on each of which is placed one substrate, a plurality of substrate support components attached to the various turntables and supporting the outer periphery of the plurality of substrates placed on the various turntables and having tapered portions formed at their support components, a plurality of drive components for independently rotating each of the plurality of turntables, a fixed sensor for detecting in non-contact fashion the orientation flats or notches formed at the outer periphery of the substrates supported by the tapered portions of the substrate support components, and a substrate retraction mechanism.
Even if there are problems such as with the positional relationship between the substrates and the substrate support components, the inclusion of this substrate retraction mechanism allows these problems to be solved without canceling out the orientation flat or notch alignment.
The invention of claim 28 is the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the substrate retraction mechanism comprises a plurality of pick-up poles that are erected such that they can be raised or lowered, and a plurality of substrate support components that are provided to the each pick-up pole, support the substrate outer periphery and pick up the substrates from the substrate support components when raised, and return the substrates that have been picked up to the substrate support components when lowered.
It is preferable it the above-mentioned substrate retraction mechanism has a base provided such that it can be raised or lowered, a lifting drive component for raising or lowering the base, a plurality of pick-up poles that are erected on the base and temporarily pick up a plurality of substrates from the substrate support components as the base is raised and lowered, and a plurality of substrate support components that are provided at a specific pitch in the axial direction to various the pick-up poles in order to pick up a plurality of substrates, pick up the substrates from the substrate support components of the turntables when the substrate outer periphery is supported as the base is raised, and return the picked-up substrates to the substrate support components as the base is lowered.
Even if there are problems such as with the positional relationship between the substrates and the substrate support components, the inclusion of this substrate retraction mechanism allows these problems to be solved without canceling out the orientation flat or notch alignment.
The invention of claim 29 is the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to any of claim 26, wherein the detection sensor and the substrate support components are in a positional relationship such that there is no contact when the substrates are rotated. If the detection sensor and the substrate support components are in a positional relationship such that there is no contact, there will be no restriction on the rotation of the substrate retraction mechanism or turntables, allowing for free rotation, or the orientation flats or notches can be easily detected regardless of where the orientation flat or notch position is, and orientation flat or notch alignment can be carried out more smoothly.
The invention of claim 30 is the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 29, wherein when the detection sensor is an optical sensor, then the structure in which the detection sensor and the substrate support components are in a non-contact positional relationship is a structure comprising a turntable that is smaller in diameter than the substrates, a substrate support component protruding in the outward radial direction from the turntable and forming a support component that supports the outer periphery of the substrate, and an optical sensor that is outside the turntable in the radial direction and has a light receiving component or light emitting component disposed on the back side of the substrate outer periphery that protrudes out from the smaller diameter turntable when the substrate is supported by the substrate support component, and a light emitting component or light receiving component disposed on the front side of the substrate outer periphery opposite the light receiving component or light emitting component.
When an attempt is made to detect the orientation flat or notch formed at the substrate outer periphery with an optical sensor, if the diameter of the substrate is the same a as the diameter of the turntable, then the turntable will block the path of the light that has passed through the orientation flat or notch, so the orientation flat or notch cannot be detected. Consequently, the diameter of the turntable is made smaller than the diameter of the substrate, so that the outer periphery of the substrate placed on the turntable will stick out beyond the turntable in the outward radial direction. As a result, contact between the optical sensor and the substrate support component during turntable rotation can be eliminated with a simple construction in which the support component that supports the outer periphery of the substrate sticking out beyond the turntable is merely formed on the substrate support component.
The invention of claim 31 is the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to any of claim 26, wherein a rotary drive component for rotating the turntable is not disposed beneath the turntable.
The rotary drive component is a pulse motor, for example. If the rotary drive component and the turntable are linked by a belt pulley, for example, and the rotary drive component is disposed in parallel to the side of the turntable, then the thickness of the turntable and that of the substrate supported on the turntable will be absorbed within the height of the rotary drive component, so the apparatus can be more compact in the height direction than when the rotary drive component is disposed in series beneath the turntable. Because the rotary drive component is not placed beneath the turntable, the apparatus can be shorter in height and more compact.
The invention of claim 32 is the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 31, wherein rotary drive components that are adjacent in the vertical direction are disposed so as to have different centers of rotation.
For rotary drive components that are adjacent in the vertical direction, interference between the rotary drive components can be avoided by staggering the rotary drive components so that the centers of rotation are different, so the spacing between turntables can be kept to within the desired spacing, and the apparatus can be made even more compact.
The invention of claim 33 is the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to any of claim 26, wherein the substrate support components are transparent. Transparent members are made up of members that are transparent to the light handled by the optical sensor.
Because the substrate support components are transparent, even it the orientation flats or notches land on the substrate support component, the light will not be blocked by the substrate support component, allowing the orientation flats or notches to be detected. Therefore, there is no need to shift the substrate support components with respect to the substrates should the orientation flats or notches land on the substrate support components, and this facilitates operation of the apparatus.